Treatment for Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating
Effective and ethical treatment for someone with an eating disorder/disordered eating involves a multidisciplinary team due to both the psychological, emotional, and physical issues that present when someone has an unhealthy relationship with food. Typically a person in recovery from an eating disorder has a treatment team made up of therapists, psychiatrists, primary care doctors, nutritionists/dieticians etc. While I can provide the psychological help, I cannot contribute the medical expertise needed to recover from an eating disorder. I can help you get connected to providers within the community. To work with me, I require my clients who are in recovery from an eating disorder to be engaged with a multidisciplinary team.
In addition to the necessary engagement with a multidisciplinary treatment team, there are several effective therapy approaches for eating disorder recovery in adults, these include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Feminist therapy.
CBT focuses on identifying and challenging distorted thought patterns and behaviors related to eating, promoting healthier attitudes towards food and body image.
ACT emphasizes acceptance of difficult thoughts and emotions, fostering mindfulness and commitment to personal values that do not involve the eating disorder.
DBT integrates skills for regulating emotions and tolerating distress, especially during times when being in one’s body and not engaging in eating disorder behaviors might feel uncomfortable.
ERP addresses fears related to food and body image, promoting gradual confrontation without typical avoidance or compensatory coping skills.
Feminist therapy acknowledges and incorporates the societal and cultural influences on body image into therapeutic techniques and empowers the individual to challenge these messages as they relate to their relationship with food and their body.